Road construction in Norman continues to creep along and around, with some projects just beginning and others reaching completion.

Starting at 7 a.m. today, Main Street at Pickard Avenue will be partially closed while a new sewer line is installed. One eastbound and two westbound lanes will be open during the construction. Traffic is expected to return to normal in a week.

Also during the next two weeks, Santa Fe Railroad will be performing maintenance work on its railroad crossings. On the day an intersection is being worked on, it will be completely closed from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and drivers are being advised to find alternate routes.

The schedule for the work is: June 2 at Boyd Street, June 5 at Post Oak Road, June 6 at Cedar Lane, June 7 at Brooks Street, June 8 at Acres Street, June 9 at Tecumseh Road, June 12 at Franklin Road, June 13 at Indian Hills Road, and June 14 at Constitution Street.

Sandy Keating of the city clerk's office, who staffs the city's construction hotline, said that the improvements to the intersection at Jenkins and Boyd streets, originally planned to be completed in early May, are now expected to be finished on June 9.

Work will then begin at Lindsey Street and Jenkins Avenue. The target date on that part of the project is September 9.

"We hope to get it done before the first home football game," Keatings said.

Work is also being done on Lindsey Street east of Jenkins that has traffic down to one lane for travel in both directions. Sewer lines along the street are being rerouted in anticipation of the intersection being torn up.

Drivers seemed resigned to the fact that the construction must go on, but were frustrated by a perceived lack of progress.

"This is probably the best time to do it," said Lori Brown, a law student who was stuck in traffic on her way home. "But they don't seem to working very fast."

Vehicles heading east were backed up almost all the way to Jenkins Avenue every time traffic was stopped Wednesday. The delays lasted three to four minutes, every six minutes.

Todd Jenson, administrative assistant to the city manager, said all these areas of work are just one phase of a long term project.

"The current phase should be done in August or September. Phase two will begin at the start of next year," he said.

The next phase will include the widening of Alameda and Lindsey Streets from Classen Boulevard to 12th Avenue Southeast, as well as work at the intersection of Boyd Street and Elm Avenue that will go along with the expansion of the Catlett Music Center.

On Friday, Robinson Street will be closed from Northwest 24th Street to 12th Street Northwest for work associated with a new Veterans Administration hospital to be built at that location.

Robinson Street will also be partially closed from Fay Avenue to 12th Street Northwest.

Tecumseh Road is still affected by construction of an overpass for an interchange at I-35. Keating said that this project is expected to take over 500 days.
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